The Other Woman
by Bobbie23
Summary: Savannah is intrigued by something she finds on Derek's nightstand. How does she feel about the other woman in his life?
1. Chapter 1

Author Note – someone distracted me. I've only just found out about Morgan's new girlfriend through a few reviews. Season nine hasn't started showing in England yet, so this is pure speculation. Sometimes I think that new characters get a raw deal from fans. Don't get me wrong I am a Demily girl at heart, but I'm going to reserve my judgement till I see her on screen. But please bear in mind that I haven't seen her yet while reading this. Don't think this is what you expected AnnKa, but let me know what you think.

Disclaimer – I don't own Criminal Minds or its' characters.

The Other Woman

Two pairs of smiling brown eyes stared back at her through the glass as she picked the photo frame from Derek's night stand. Derek had his arms wrapped around a slim, beautiful brunette in a gold dress with a floral print and green wrap, and they were both laughing at something that someone had decided to capture the moment on film. That moment must have been important enough for the picture to be pride of place next to photos of his mother and sisters. Savannah's interest sparked as she placed the photo back next to the others. It wasn't that she was bothered by it, just curious. Everyone had pasts, herself included.

They had only been together a few months and she liked Derek. He was a nice guy, attractive, had a good job. Even with a heavy work schedule he was very attentive.

"Hey, what are you looking at?" Derek asked as he entered the room behind her.

"I was just wondering who this is?" She pointed at the photo and glanced over her shoulder to gage his reaction. His face lit up like it was in the photo.

"That's Emily," was all he said as he went about gathering his overalls so he could go to the house he was restoring.

'_Emily?'_

She had met his friends and none of them mentioned an Emily. Savannah heard the zip of his bag and turned back to him only to find him looking at her, but he offered no further explanation of the photograph. She itched to ask, but didn't want to pry. So she let it drop.

Glancing at her watch, she realised she would be running late. "I have to go, or else I'll be late." Savannah gave him a quick peck on the lips and rushed out of the door.

Over the coming weeks, Savannah did her best to ignore the photo whenever she stayed over. For the most part it worked, but there was still a niggling feeling at the back of her mind. She didn't approach the subject with Derek.

It was during the night when Savannah was woken up by Derek getting out of bed. Curious why she had been woken up, usually she was a deep sleeper, and she padded quietly to the door and peered round the corner. She saw Derek at the end of his landing looking out over his garden as he held his phone to his ear.

"Hey Emily," he whispered into the phone.

Savannah's eyebrows rose in shock. She tried to keep calm as anger flared inside of her, trying to find a reasonable explanation for him to leave her in bed to speak to another woman, whose picture was on his night stand. She continued to listen to his side of the conversation.

"So how's London?" He asked, pausing to listen to the reply that came. Savannah could hear the smile in his voice as he responded to the mystery woman. "You knew what the weather would be like before you moved there Princess. Anyway, I thought you liked the rain."

'_Princess?' _ He had lots of pet names for Garcia, but the way he said princess told Savannah that Emily was his only princess.

"Everyone is good; they miss you and send their love." There was a pause. "I'm not trying to guilt you into coming back home; you think I would stoop so low?" He said, his deep laugh filling the hallway before he asked, "Is it working?" There was an odd familiarity to the way he said it, like he had said time and time again.

His voice was soft and he spoke in a tone which she had never heard him use before. There was an air of intimacy as his voice drifted down the hallway in the dark. Instead of feeling jealous that her boyfriend was talking to another woman in the middle of the night, Savannah felt like she intruding on their time together. She watched Derek lean against the window frame as he listened to something Emily said. They exchanged stories about daily life. There was nothing to suggest that Emily was more than a friend.

In her head, Savannah made connections. Obviously this woman had moved away and they must have been close for Derek to make the effort to keep contact by waking up in the middle of the night. _'Maybe she's the one that got away,' _Savannah thought to herself.

Deciding that Emily was nothing more than a friend, Savannah quietly slipped back into bed, still listening as Derek continued to talk to Emily.

"I'll let you go to work now Princess." Pause. "I miss you Emily. Come home when you're ready," Savannah heard the croak in his voice and she wondered if she was wrong about this woman being just a friend. She tried to push the thought to the back of her mind as she heard Derek's footsteps approaching the bed. The quilt lifted and she felt the bed dip as he lay next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She was still mulling over their night time conversation when she heard his breathing even out, signalling that he had drifted off again.

Over the next few weeks, Savannah tried to quell her curiosity whenever Derek snuck out of bed with his phone. She stayed in bed, trying not to look at the ever present photo on the night stand, and listened to Derek as he confided in Emily, her mind racing as she wondered about their history. Derek didn't volunteer any information on their relationship.

One evening Savannah had been leaving work when she got a call from Derek. He was quite excited and was wondering if she was able to meet him and his colleagues at a bar down town. She was surprised as when he had called the other day to cancel their date, he had sounded a bit stressed.

"Why are you so happy?" she asked.

"A friend of mine is visiting for a few days," he explained. "And I really want you to meet her."

The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She knew he was referring to Emily. Briefly wondering whether or not it would be a good idea to meet the other woman, curiosity finally got the better of her. "Okay, I'll see you in about twenty minutes."

Forty minutes later she was sitting among Derek's friends. Penelope had yet to arrive and neither had the 'friend', who had yet to be confirmed as Emily. Derek passed Savannah her drink as her attention was on the table next to them, where Doctor Reid was shuffling a deck of cards while smirking at a disgruntled Dave.

"You just wait till Emily gets here. You won't be smirking after she beats you at a couple of hands," Dave told the younger man. The smirk slipped from his face.

The door opened and bell jingled from above as Penelope led the way into the bar, Emily following behind closely. Her hair was a bit longer than it was in the photograph; her smile was just as big as she approached.

"Look who I found wandering around Dulles, waiting for a ride," the perky blonde said as she gestured over her shoulder.

Savannah felt her heart begin to beat faster as the other woman started to be engulfed in hugs by Derek's friends, he himself waited behind the rest of them for his turn. She found it odd to see Alex standing a small distance away, seemingly waiting to be introduced.

After a few minutes, Emily turned expectantly to Derek and he pointed to Alex and introduced them. Emily made a comment about it being strange to meet her replacement before shaking the other agent's hand. Her smile was huge as she turned back to Derek and he almost lifted her off the ground as he hugged her. He said something into her ear that made her laugh while she was still in his arms.

They pulled back as Emily noticed Savannah at the back of the little group. Derek looked between the two women before reaching out his hand to Savannah. "Emily this is Savannah, my girlfriend." Savannah watched as Emily eyes widened momentarily, but she recovered quickly and held out her hand with a warm smile that was reflected in her eyes.

"Hi Savannah, it's nice to meet you."

Savannah returned the smile and reached out to the other woman. "You too Emily."

Author Note 2 – I am planning a second chapter, but not sure when it will be up. I REALLY need to work on another story first.


	2. Chapter 2

Author Note – thank you all for such a great response to the last chapter. All of your reviews, follows and favourites make me so happy when I read them.

The Other Woman – chapter two

Savannah heard laughter around her as the people around her traded stories from the past eighteen months. She was sat next to Derek at the middle of the two tables they had pulled together, on his other side sat Penelope with Doctor Reid next to her. Opposite Emily was smiling at the younger man as he concentrated on his cards, Dave sat smirking at her side.

"Whatcha gonna do Reid?" Savannah heard Derek laugh quietly at Emily's question, his attention on the scene unfolding before him. Emily shot a playful look in Derek's direction as she heard the laugh. Savannah watched as the former partners shared a smile, lost in their own world for a moment before Reid interrupted by calling.

The cards were placed down on the table. Reid sat back dejectedly as he read Emily's cards and she promptly swept up the pile of pretzels they had wagered for the hand. Derek laughed again as Dave chuckled triumphantly and patted Emily on the shoulder as he went to the bar to order her the drink he promised her if she won.

Savannah had enjoyed the evening so far. She could see why Emily and Derek got along so well, Savannah herself found her to be intriguing and was beginning to like her. Everyone had included her in the conversation, explaining to her and Alex about some stories of past team nights out. Derek had stayed at her side throughout, but she could feel his urge to speak to Emily alone. After they had been introduced and everyone was reseating themselves around the table, Savannah caught the apologetic look Derek had given Emily. She fought hard not to frown, not wanting his friends to see how uncomfortable she was. Savannah had been able to read the surprise on Emily's face when they had been introduced, and she couldn't recall if she had ever heard Derek mention that he was dating someone when he was talking to Emily.

Even though the conversation that flowed answered some of her unasked questions, the night had also left her with more questions. She could see Emily had some of her own. But Savannah knew she wouldn't ask them here, they would both wait.

Dave sat two drinks down in front of Emily and Reid, and he toasted the younger man with his own as Doctor Reid put the cards away in his bag.

"So Emily, do you like living in London?" Savannah asked as Emily took a sip of her drink.

Emily focused on Savannah as she answered. "It's good," she told her. "Could do with a little less rain." Remembering the first conversation she had overheard, Savannah smiled along with Emily's joke, and she felt Derek try to conceal his laughter as he obviously recalled the same. The conflict within her deepened as she watched them interact, even though she knew they were only friends.

They talked and laughed long into the night till the agents started to leave one by one, exchanging goodbyes and promises of seeing Emily again before she returned to London. Soon it was just herself, Derek, Penelope, and Emily sitting at one of the tables. Savannah yawned as she stood to go to the bathroom and Penelope instantly perked up.

"I'll come with, and then I need to reunite Sergio with his mom," Penelope said as she followed Savannah.

Savannah quirked her eyebrow as she looked over her shoulder, her confusion evident. "I got custody of Emily's cat when she moved to London," the blonde techie explained as Savannah pushed the door of the bathroom open.

A few minutes later, Savannah was washing her hands while she waited for Penelope. She was trying not to glance at the closed door that led out to the bar. Her curiosity had been peaked when she had looked over her shoulder and out of the corner of her eye she saw Derek shuffle along the bench seat so he could speak to Emily. She wondered what they were talking about.

In the back of her mind Savannah knew they were just friends, but she was still fascinated why Derek had never explained their relationship. She knew she needed to talk to Derek, if only to find out why he felt the need to conceal their conversations from her. The flush of the toilet broke through her thoughts and Savannah found herself staring at Penelope through the mirror. Penelope tilted her head to side as she saw Savannah deep in thought.

"Why so glum?" She asked her blue eyes full of compassion. "We didn't completely focus on old team stories, did we?" She asked, suddenly her eyes widened with worry, worry that they had excluded Savannah.

Savannah smiled at her in reassurance as she shook her head. "No, I've had a fun night. It's just I've never had the kind of relationship you guys do with my co-workers, just trying to wrap my head around it."

Penelope nodded her head sympathetically as she used the basin beside Savannah to wash her own hands. "We're family," her shoulders shrugged as she shook off excess water. "I know it can be a bit overwhelming to others, but when you see the things that pass my screen every day, you get close to those who experience it with you." Her tone was full of compassion.

"It's good how you've all kept in contact with Emily," the thought popped out without Savannah meaning it to.

Penelope didn't take much notice of the comment but continued to speak as she dried her hands under the drier. "We're not going to lose her again," Penelope said as she double checked her reflection in the mirror before placing her hand on the handle of the door and looking to Savannah to see if she was ready to leave the bathroom.

"Again?" The question slipped out before she could stop it, and the blonde realised that she had said too much and Savannah watched as she tried to find the right words to explain.

"She had to go away for a while, and none of us thought she could come back," Savannah thought she could see a tear forming, but Penelope was able to control it. "But she did. And now that she's in London, we don't want history to repeat itself." Savannah managed to quell the urge to ask for more information, figuring if Penelope could talk about it she would. "Come on they'll be wondering where we've got to." Penelope opened the door and ushered her through. Immediately her eyes were drawn to the table. Her step faltered as she saw Emily and Derek huddled together, absorbed in their banter.

Savannah recovered her stride and tried to hide her reaction by the time she reached the table. The pair didn't notice their approach until they sat down opposite, and they scooted away from each other, their private moment broken. Emily hid a yawn behind her hand, and Savannah looked at her watch and realised how long Emily must have been awake.

"Come on, let's get you home my raven haired beauty," Penelope said as she also saw the yawn.

Emily looked grateful as she reached for her coat. She looked at Derek as she slipped her arms through the sleeves. "I'll see you in the morning Morgan, be ready to buy me lunch," she said, smirking at him.

"I think it'll be you who'll be buying my lunch Princess. I'm guessing you haven't been chasing down suspects while sitting at your desk." Emily stuck her tongue out playfully. Derek laughed before he stood up to hug his friends' good bye.

Savannah watched as they held onto one another, glancing at Penelope to judge her reaction, she didn't seem fazed by how tightly they held on. Pulling out of Derek's embrace, Emily turned to Savannah. "It was lovely to meet you Savannah," she said sincerely. "I hope I get to see you again before I go back to London."

Savannah nodded. "Hopefully," she agreed as she shook the hand that Emily offered her.

The four of them parted ways outside of the bar, taking separate taxis. A short time later, Savannah was taking off her coat and hanging it on the coat hook in Derek's hallway as he took Clooney into the back yard. During the cab ride, Savannah had so many questions and doubts playing through her mind that she came to an uneasy decision. She couldn't delay talking to Derek any longer.

Derek re-entered the house, followed by Clooney, and smiled sweetly at Savannah. He must have sensed something was wrong when she didn't return it, because it slipped from his face.

"Why didn't you tell me who Emily was to you?" She asked quietly as she sat on the sofa, pulling a cushion onto her lap. Derek looked confused as he stood by his fireplace. Savannah could see he was trying not to cross his arms.

"I thought I did."

"When I asked you about the photograph, you told me her name. You didn't tell me she used to be your partner." Derek's posture deflated slightly as he realised that he hadn't offered an explanation.

"I'm sorry; I honestly didn't think that it would matter."

"And it doesn't," Savannah told him. "It's just…" She took a deep breath. "I hear you talking to her during the night. I hear the way you talk with her, how easy it is for you to talk to her."

They were both silent and Savannah looked up at Derek, a mixture of betrayal and anger dissipated as he sat next to her, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him.

"I realised that you two were just friends and from your conversation I knew she lived in London. I only started listening because I thought you might be…"

"I'm sorry if you thought that I was cheating," Derek apologised without looking at her. "But if you realised she was just a friend, why did you continue to listen?"

"Because it was hard to stop. It felt strange to hear you confide in someone else."

"We've been through a lot together. We learnt to rely on each other. Sometimes it feels like I'm still trying to adjust to her not being here," he paused. "I confide in Emily because she knows what it's like to be in the situations that I'm in every day, there's a part of her that will always be with me in those situations."

"I see why you two get along so well," Savannah smiled and she saw one break out on Derek's face. "She's a good person." Derek nodded. "Was there ever anything other than friendship between you?"

Derek opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He licked his lips once and then answered. "No," he admitted. "We never crossed that line."

Savannah closed her eyes as she felt the sting of his hesitance. "What if she had stayed?"

"Savannah, we're together. There's nothing going on with Emily, she's just a friend," Derek reassured her. "There's nothing for you to worry about."

"I just have this feeling that you and I wouldn't be together if she stayed."

"Emily staying wouldn't have…"

"How many girlfriends did you have when you were partnered with her?" She cut him off, her insecurity coming through.

"Nothing happened," Derek insisted instead of answering the question.

"Hey," she said soothingly, touching his arm. "I'm not saying that I think you're going to run off with her." She paused. "But I think that there are things you need to talk about with Emily."

Savannah saw the confusion in his eyes. "Emily and I are good, we don't need to talk."

"You never told her about me," she explained. "And she was as surprised as I was tonight." Realisation dawned on his face. "Maybe you were both in denial, but I think there may be more to you than friendship," she stroked his arm. "You need to talk to Emily."

Derek nodded mutely. "I'm going to take a step back from us," she declared. "You're a good guy Derek, but I don't think I spend the rest of my life listening to you talk to another woman in the middle of the night." She didn't mean it maliciously; she wanted them all to be happy. "I'm going to call a cab to take me home."


End file.
